Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-04-26
MALE ANb FEMALE BRAIN.
What Dr. william, A. Hammond says of
the Difference Between Them.


Many observations have shown that the
average male brain weighs q little over
forty nine ounces, while the average
female brain is a little over forty four
ounces, or about five ounces less. The
proportion existing between the two is
therefore as 100 80 This apparently
makes good showing for man. but when
we look at the matter in another and
possibly a more correct light, the advan-
tage is rather the other way: for relatively
Ia the weight OF the body in the two sexes,
the difference, what there is. is in favor of
woman. The body of the female is shorter
and weighs less than that of the male.
/ Thus, in man the weight Of brain 10 that
Of the body has been found TO be an
average OF /: 30 80, while in woman it is
aS | SO 46, difference Of O4 in her favor.
T Possibly this may be "A more correct way
of determining the size Of the brain than
by absolute measurements without regard
TO the size of the body. The doubt arises
from the fact that We do not know that
very thin persons. in whom of course,
other things being equal. the brain would
he relatively larger are more remarkable
for mental vigor than are very stout ones,
in whom the relative size of the brain
/ would be less. Such being the case, it is
difficult to believe that the proportionate
size of the brain to the body has any i'm
portant influence as a factor in the pro
duction of mind. Ii is the absolute rather
than the relative amount of gray matter
that is to be considered in determining
the brain power. 1t must, however, be
borne in mind that the quantity of gray
matter cannot always he positively af-
filmed from = determination Of the size of
the brain. though in general it can.
Again, the specific gravity Of the male
brain, both of the white and the gray sub
stance, is greater in man than it is in
woman.
Bearing in view these differences IL is
impossible 10 avoid the conclusion that
there must also be some points of dissim-
ilarity i'll the minds of the two sexes. Not
necessarily that one of superior to the
other. but that they are different. We
See the diversities every day, diyersities
of perception, of emotion, of intellect, Of
will. In some respects the mind of man
eNcels; in others, that of woman is su-
periur. Ii would be q bad state of things
for mankind if the mind in the two pri-
mary divisions of the human race were
the same. In barbarOus nations the diff
ference in size is less than it is with civil
Lied people, and as one consequence of
this fact there is not SO great difference
in the mental development. Thus among
the Australians and the cegroes of Africa,
the skulls of men and women are much
more alike i'll size than they are in Euro
peans. 1t would appear from this fact,
either the women for some cause or other
have not availed themselves OF the advan-
tages of civilization as factors i'll brain de-
yelopment to the same extent as man has,
or that among savages there is not that
among civilized nations. and that hence
there is not the same necessity for a diff
ference in brain development.
For it naturally follows that in the nor
NAL skull there is a correspondence be-
tween its size and that of the organ con-
tanned within it. The work of a woman
is with them almost the same rs that of a
man. Her mode of life, her dress are not
essentially different except i'll 50 far as
they must bo different on account of her
sex. But with civilized nations there is a
variety in modes Of thought in likes and
dislnles and in other mental characters
tics; in occupation, in manner. in clothes.
even in food, SO that the differentiation
between the sexes is far more disGlctly
marked than it is with nations low in the
scale Of progress. Who can doubt that
this is the direct result of differences not
only in the brain, but in other parts Of the
nervous systens-Dr. William A Ham
nord in Popular Science Monthly.